Hi there fellow-hippie,
You are in for the treat of your life this coming week! Imagine waking up and realizing your excruciating pain will no longer be haunting you! I had my RTHR done on Nov 30, and I have NO regrets...only joy and anticipation of more of the good life ahead of me with my new hip.
Wear loose-fitting yoga pants and layered clothing in the morning of your surgery...also some slip-on flat sketchers. I wore the hospital gown the whole time except when it came time to leave. Remember, you will have all kinds of tubes in your arms, and the staff needs access to your veins for frequent blood-drawing. They are good about bringing warm flannel blankets upon request for the chills that come and go. Also, the staff supplied me with socks that had no-skid designs on them for use navigating the hallway or walk to the commode. I brought a comb and some facial lotion and toothpaste and toothbrush with me and used all of them. I wish I had brought my own body wash as the sponge baths are done with hospital grade squirt soap. Also, the hospital is noisy and you may end up with a roomie who, like mine, snored so loudly that I was nearly to the level of road rage--I asked for earplugs, and the aides supplied them. I brought books but found my concentration did not hold together for that kind of reading; mostly, I slept, text-messaged and went on the computer (I had my parents bring me my mini-laptop on the second day). The hospital did not supply a wireless connection, but I brought my own usb modem stub and a signal was not a problem. I even posted on this site while I was still in the hospital!
I didn't wear the yoga pants during my stay as I felt my bandage/stitches seemed to snag on the fabric--very unnerving. Plus, when you need all your concentration to get to and then onto the commode, you don't need the extra step of pulling down your pants! Just being able to whip-open that gown was a nice relief. Bring something you like to snack on--also, you can make requests that are not on the menus they show you prior to ordering your next set of meals. The last night, I ordered a cheese burger and some steamed asparagus--neither of which were listed on the "menu." You can also request sodas or juice throughout the day and night; it might not be a timely delivery, but your request will be honored.
Most of all, enjoy the early days of your new hip! You will be tired and stiff but not in arthritis pain--I know at this point, that reality is difficult for you to imagine...but it is going to happen, and you are going to be the new YOU!
Best of luck to you and may you soon become another one from The Other Side!
Cheers,
Patrikya
:shk::thmb:
United States
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